Jane Darrowfield and The Madwoman Next Door

Megan, who’s purchased the house next to, Jane needs some help from her busybody neighbor. Megan’s been having blackouts, hearing voices, and feeling like someone’s following her. Are these symptoms of an illness or signs that she’s in danger?

Considering the extensive security system in Megan’s house, it seems like she should be safe, yet she soon vanishes into thin air. Some think she’s run away, but would this ambitious young lawyer on the partner track miss a meeting with an important client? And where’s Megan’s cat?

The mystery is about to deepen when the cat is finally located in a hidden panic room, and as Jane and the police look into Megan’s friends, family, and past, it may be time to sound the alarm.

The Details
Series: A Jane Darrowfield Mystery – Book #2
Author: Barbara Ross
Genre/Category: Cozy – Amateur Sleuth/Older Sleuth
Publisher: Kensington Cozies
ISBN: 149673419X
Page Count: 288
Rating:

The Review
Jane is the type of character that I love. She is intelligent, funny, easy to get along with, full of questions and life. In the newest addition to the “A Jane Darrowfield Mystery” series, Jane Darrowfield and The Madwoman Next Door we find Jane doing what she does best, putting her nose in other people’s business. But what would you expect from a professional busybody? The difference this time, it’s Jane’s business to stick her nose in, and her client, Megan, actually came to her for help.

When Megan asks Jane to help her find out if she is a madwoman, Jane isn’t sure that being a busybody is the kind of help she needs, but Megan talks her into investigating. Unfortunately, before Jane gets started, the client disappears into thin air. But Jane doesn’t believe that Megan disappeared willingly or is a madwoman. With the help of several people and hindrances from others, Jane comes to believe that her client was being gaslighted. Unless she finds out who the culprit is, she may end up investigating a murder.

There are several suspects that have various reasons to want Megan out of the way or maybe even believe that she is a madwoman. These suspects range from family to co-workers to ex-partners. Jane sniffs out the clues and uses her busybody tendencies to get answers. Evidence is easy to find and follow, but putting all the pieces together puts Jane in danger. After some tense action, Jane discovers the villain, and with the help of her friends and boyfriend, she brings the investigation to its ultimate conclusion.

Jane Darrowfield and The Madwoman Next Door is a fun, easy-to-read story that will make readers crave more. Jane may not be young, and that’s okay. She has a boyfriend, a busybody business that’s paying off, and friends who love her. She has personal relationship issues that need to be resolved but isn’t sure how to fix them. But she has a life ahead of her that holds promise. I hope she figures out how to fix her problems in book three. I can’t wait to find out. I am happy to recommend this book and series to readers of all genres.

The Author
Barbara Ross is the author of the Maine Clambake Mysteries and the Jane Darrowfield Mysteries. Her books have been nominated for multiple Agatha Awards for Best Contemporary Novel and have won the Maine Literary Award for Crime Fiction. Barbara’s novellas are included in holiday anthologies from Kensington Publishing. In her former life, Barbara was a co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of successful start-ups in educational technology. She and her husband live in Portland, Maine.